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ONO TO FIRST APPEAR IN AUSTRIA

After a change of heart, it has been decided that Shinji Ono will not be joining the Feyenoord squad at the end of this week, but will join them in Austria on 17 July. The Japanese international has been given a holiday by trainer Bert van Marwijk after last Saturday returning to Rotterdam in an exhausted condition. Ono and his wife left yesterday for a ten-day break in the sun of southern France.

The initial intention was that Shinji Ono would report to De Kuip coming Saturday and join the selection in Innsbruck for a training camp and two matches on Sunday 14 July. But since on Ono's return to his home in Rotterdam last Saturday he felt unwell and according to Manager Jan D. Swart 'was even not looking forward to the flight to the south of France the following day', it was decided in consultation with Bert van Marwijk to give him time off until next week Wednesday.
'The recovery schedule following his appendix operation was simply too tight,' according to Swart. 'We can say we're sorry as often as we want, it won't change the facts.' Ono was released from hospital on Friday 28 June. The idea was that he would spend three days at his mother's to recover and would then fly back to the Netherlands. It was also what he wanted, as he regretted that fact for both trainer and Feyenoord that after the World Cup he would still need an operation. He was forced however to cancel the self-booked flight on Wednesday. He did not leave the house until Thursday, and arrived in an exhausted condition at Schiphol on Saturday. Van Marwijk decided: 'Give him 10 days in the sun to gain some strength. Better a late Ono who's fit.'
Bert van Marwijk is clearly not pleased with the situation. Swart: 'At the start of the World Cup, the medical staff for the Japanese team clearly took a disputable decision by choosing to repress the troublesome appendix infection with medicines. In doing so, the operation was postponed, with the result that Feyenoord has been left holding the baby. That's extremely irritating for Van Marwijk. He works according to a schedule and there are three extremely important matches coming up. On the other hand, he was happy for Ono that he was able to experience the World Cup in his home country and Feyenoord under similar conditions may have made the same decision. It's something of a double edged sword. If Shinji turns up fit on Wednesday, all will be forgotten.'